LSU bomb threat suspect charged in state court

Published: Thursday, October 4, 2012 at 9:57 a.m.

Last Modified: Thursday, October 4, 2012 at 9:57 a.m.

BATON ROUGE — A 42-year-old Baton Rouge man accused of calling in a bomb threat to LSU on Sept. 17 has been charged in state court.

The East Baton Rouge Parish District Attorney's Office filed a one-count bill of information Wednesday charging William Bouvay Jr. with communicating false information of a planned bombing on school property.

The felony charge carries a maximum prison term of 20 years.

District Attorney Hillar Moore said Bouvay will be arraigned on the charge Friday. The case has been assigned to state District Judge Lou Daniel.

A federal grand jury in Baton Rouge indicted Bouvay on Sept. 20 on one count of willfully conveying false information concerning the attempt to destroy property by means of explosives.

If convicted, Bouvay faces up to 10 years in prison.

The bomb threat was called in to LSU at 10:32 a.m. Sept. 17, and the university's emergency text ordering students and staff to evacuate went out at 11:30 a.m.

According to an affidavit of probable cause, Bouvay told a 911 dispatcher, "Yes, I planted three bombs at LSU's campus. My colleagues planted three bombs at LSU to go off in two hours if my ."

The caller did not finish that sentence.

"This is not a joke. I'm gonna go there and ." the caller said before the call was disconnected.

Authorities traced the number using GPS technology to a deactivated cellphone that could be used only for emergency calls, LSU police have said. The phone was found at Bouvay's Skysail residence near Gardere Lane.

Bouvay admitted to authorities he called in the bomb threat, was arrested and booked into Parish Prison.

Authorities know why Bouvay made the bomb threat but have declined to disclose those reasons, other than to say the threat was isolated to LSU.

The federal indictment also did not disclose Bouvay's motive.

Reader comments posted to this article may be published in our print edition. All rights reserved. This copyrighted material may not be re-published without permission. Links are encouraged.